ABERDEEN ELECTS TO CONVERT GOLD ROYALTY LOAN

10/20/2008

Toronto, Ontario, October 20, 2008: ABERDEEN INTERNATIONAL INC. (“Aberdeen”, or the
“Company”) (Toronto Stock Exchange: AAB) is pleased to announce that it has provided notice
to Simmer & Jack Mines Ltd ( “Simmers”) regarding its election to convert the principal amount
outstanding under its Loan Agreement into Simmers common Stock as of October 16, 2008.

Under the terms of the Aberdeen Royalty Loan Agreement, Aberdeen has the right to elect to
convert the US$10 million loan facility into Simmers equity at a conversion rate of R0.80 per
ordinary share of Simmers, subject to Simmers Shareholder approval.

The Company will receive approximately 133,093,750 shares of Simmer based on the Closing
USD/Rand exchange rate on October 15th 2008 of US$1.00 = ZAR10.6475. This number of
Simmer shares represents approximately 10.85% of Simmers shares on a fully diluted basis.

If the Simmers shareholders do not approve the request to convert the loan to equity within a
reasonable period of time then the loan will mature on December 31, 2008 and the US$10 million
loan principal is due for repayment. Graduated Royalty payments will continue at the current rate of
4.75% which in the current quarter amounted to gross proceeds to Aberdeen of CDN 2.2 million.

If the Simmers shareholders do not approve the conversion within a reasonable period of time,
Aberdeen will receive a 1% life of mine gold royalty on both the Buffels underground mine and
First Uranium’s Tailings Recovery Project.

The additional 1% royalty also applies to any gold produced from the greater Buffels Area
comprising 12 claims including the Hartebeestefontein 422IP claim and Strathmore project which
Simmers has reported could potentially add 11.9 million ounces of gold production.
George Faught, Aberdeen’s President and CEO, stated, “While gold production from the Buffels
Underground operations has fallen below forecast, Simmers continues to deliver significant growth
in the value of the Royalty through increased life of mine ounces for both the underground
operations and the Tailings Recovery Project. The addition of ore from the #5 High grade shaft
should increase gold production at Buffels and the Tailings Recovery Project seems to be
achieving its forecasted production targets. The Strathmore Project, while conceptual at this stage,
could also add significant future value to the 1% tail royalty.”

About Aberdeen International Inc:

Aberdeen is a publicly traded global investment and merchant banking company focused on small
cap companies in the resource sector. Aberdeen will seek to acquire significant equity participation
in pre-IPO and/or early stage public resource companies with undeveloped or undervalued highquality
resources. Aberdeen will focus on companies that: (i) are in need of managerial, technical
and financial resources to realize their full potential; (ii) are undervalued in foreign capital markets;
and (iii) operate in jurisdictions with moderate local political risk. Aberdeen will seek to provide
value-added managerial and board advisory services to companies. The Corporation’s intention will
be to optimize the return on its investment over an 18 to 24 month investment time frame.
Aberdeen International Inc.

Aberdeen has relied exclusively on the public disclosure of Simmers for all information relating to
Simmers and its properties.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains "forward
looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Forward
looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the conversion of the
facility amount into Simmer shares, receipt of shareholder approval for the conversion and the
timing thereof, receipt of additional royalty in lieu of shares, mineralization estimates, and timing
and estimates of production at Simmers properties. Generally, forward looking information can be
identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect",
"is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not
anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions,
events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved".
Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors
that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to
be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information,
including but not limited to: financing not being available at desired prices; general business,
economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties; general other risks of the mining industry
and investment industry. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that
could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information,
there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There
can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future
events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers
should not place undue reliance on forward looking information. The Company does not undertake
to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.